Disposable cleaning swab and holder therefor



Dec. l'll, 1957 G. PL BECK ETAL 42,816,311

DISPOSABLE CLEANING SWAB AND HOLDERYTHEREFOR Filed March 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Shet 1 c. 17, 1957 G. P. B EcK ETAL 2,816,311

DIsPosBLE' CLEANING SWABAND' HOLDER THEREFOR Filed Mchlo, 1951 5 sheets-smet 2 J ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1957 G. P. BECK ETAL 2,816,311

DISPOSABLE CLEANING SWAB vAND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed March 10l 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS United tates atent Of DISPOSABLE CLEANING SWAB AND HOLDER THEREFOR Gasper Paul Beck, Highland Park, Robert Wood Johnson, Jr., Piscataway Township, Middlesex County, Viggo I. Korsgaard, Middlesex, and Roland R. Nydegger, Metuchen, N. J., assignors to Personal Products Corporatiorn a corporation of New Jersey Application March 10, 1951, Serial No. 214,918

19 Claims. (Cl. 15-210) dropped into the bowl after use without the necessity of direct finger contact therewith, which is constructed to withstand disintegration or separation of its parts during a normal period of use, which will separate into parts easily flushable in a toilet bowl after release from the holder, which lends itself to inexpensive manufacture on amass production scale, and which presents a large cleaning surface in comparison to its bulk.

Another object is to provide a swab of the' general character described, which can be firmly attached and locked to an appropriately designed holder by a simple manipulation and which requires mechanical rupture to permit its removal from said holder and to facilitate its flushing away in a toilet bowl.

Another object is to provide a holder for a cleaning swab of the character described, which is constructed to permit the swab to be readily applied thereto, which is designed to give shape and bulk to the swab when in use and afford an effective backing therefor in the cleaning operation, which can be operated easily to rupture the swab after use, and which can be kept clean and therefore sanitary.

.In accordance with certain features of the present in.

vention, the cleaning swab comprises a pad constructed, folded and seamed in the form of a pouch or bag.

yAs a further feature, this bag has internal flaps adapted to be latched automatically to a catch on the head of the holder when the bag is slipped on said head, to retain the swab securely on saidhead during use.

As another feature, the cleaning swab comprises basically a composite pad having a filler mat of soft fluff material which imparts the necessary body to the pad for effective cleaning and a flexible wrapper therefor arranged to retain the filler mat and to protect it against rapid disintegration during use and defining holder latching flaps in the interior of the swab.

As a further feature, the bag swab is constructed to permit it to be easily ruptured and opened up, sothat it can be removed from the holder and dropped in the toilet bowl for disposal.

As another feature, the holder is constructed to cause the bag swab to be automatically locked thereon when slipped over the head thereof. f

As another feature, the holder is constructed With head. parts relatively movable to rupture the bag, when it is desired to dispose of the bag.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following particular de-v scription and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a at composite pad from i 2,816,311 Patented Dec. 17, 1957 which the bag swab embodying the present invention may be constructed, said pad comprising a ller mat and a wrapper sheet therefor;

Figure 2 is a section of the composite pad taken on lines 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a face view of the composite pad, after the end sections of the wrapper sheet have been folded over the filler mat and their side edges have been adhesively secured to the main body of said wrapper sheet to define flaps in the final swab construction;

Figure 4 is a face view of the bag swab made by folding the pad of Fig. 3 and adhesively securing its side edges together; f

Figure S is a section of the bag swab taken on the lines 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Figure 6 is a face view of a bag swab holder embodying certain features of the present invention and made of two pivotally jointed sections relatively movable into open position to rupture the swab when it is desired to dispose of it, said sections being shown in closed position;

Figure 7 is a side view of the holder shown in closed position; v

Figure 8 is a section of the holder taken along the lines 8 8 o-f Fig. 6 but shown in open position;

Figure 9 is a face view of the head of the holder show ing the two normally jointed sections in open position and separated; A

Figure `l0 is a transverse section of the handle of the holder taken along the lines 10-10 of Fig. 6;

Figure l1 is a longitudinal section of the handle of the holder taken along the lines 11-11 of Fig. 6;

Figure l2 is a face view of the head of the hold-ler.'

shown with the cleaner swab attached thereto;

Figure. 13 is asection of the combined yholder head and cleaner swab taken along the lines 13-13 of Fig. l2; and

Figure 14 is a side section of the combined holder head and cleaner swab shown at the instant the jointed sections are opened to rupture the swab for detachment from the holder head and for subsequent disposal.

.l `Referring to Figs. 1-3 of the drawings, thefcleaner swab, is constructed vfrom a flat composite laminated pad 10- made up of a filler 11 in the form lof a flat flexible mat Thevfiller mat 11.-

and aflexible wrap sheet 12 therefor. serves as the padding for the swab and is desirably of soft material to yield into conformance with irregularities in the surfaces being cleaned and must have sufficient body to permit sustained effective cleaning therewith. -HMoreover, it should be made of a material which is at least readily flushable in a toilet bowl, so that it will not clogy the plumbing. Desirably, it should be made of an absorbent material readily disintegrable when wet. For that reason, the filler mat 11 consists essentially of a relatively thick sheet or layer 13 of fluff material which may be macerated cellulose, such as wood pulp, molded or pressed; in flat rectangular form. In a specific form, this particular,

filler sheet 13 may be about 6% inches long, 2% inches wide and about 1A inch thick. In vorder to retain the particles of the filler mat 13 against rapid disintegration or ,separation during manu-` form theffluff type filler mat-11. This envelope sheet 14L is desirably a facialtissue, self-disintegrable whenfwet,v and has a length co-extensive with the length of the filler sheet,y

so that its ends are flush with the ends of the filler sheet 13. Instead of the wood pulp filler being enveloped in the tissue 14, it may have one or more sheets of tissue at the top and at the bottom thereof, or'it may be held togetherv merely by a compression pattern in the form of a grid,l or;

the entire filler mat may consist of a number of thin facial tissues similar to the tissue 14 arranged in a stack to form a padding mat for the swab. These superposed tissues could be folded with their longitudinal margins overlapping to produce a mat of the desired thickness.

The' wrap sheet 12 is des'irably of thin fiexible paper easily ushable in a toilet bowl but nevertheless rugged and strong enough to withstand' cleaning or scrubbing. pressure during use. A partially bleached 4rope paper weighing lbs. per 1000 square feet and impregnated with a suitable resin, such as ureaformaldehyde or mel amine, to impart to the paper the required degree of wet strength has been found satisfactory forthe purpose although any paper capable of being similarly processed and which will give equivalent service will sufce.

The wrap sheet 12 is also impregnated with a suitable detergent which is compatible with the resin with which the sheet is treated for control of wet strength. A suitable composition for the purpose is Antorox A-400, which is an ethylene oxide condensation product of substituted phenols having an approximate molecular weight of 660 and whichv is in a class of non-ionic detergents. The nonionic class of liquid detergents is desirable because of its foaming action, permitting high degree of paper impregnation. However, an ionic detergent may be used if it is compatible with the resin with which the sheet is' treated for control of wet strength.

On its outside scrubbing or cleaning surface, the Wrap sheet 12 isdesirably coated with a foaming agent and a suitable composition for the purpose is Orvus Paste, consisting essentially of sodium lauryl sulphate in the class of anionic solid detergents, which will foam but will not give a high degree of impregnation.

The wrap sheet 12 is also treated with a water soluble bluing dye, similar to that used for laundry purposes, to whiten the surfaces cleaned by the swab of the present invention.

The wrap sheet 12 may also contain a suitable disinfectant and a perfume.

The filler mat 11 is in flat rectangular form and the wrap sheet 12 is rectangular except for four rectangular cutouts or recesses 15 in the cornersv of the sheet and, in a specific form is about 11 inches long and four inches wide across its center. The recesses 15 in the wrap sheet are about 1% inches long. The filler mat is laid centrally on the inner face of the Wrap sheet with the overlapping margins of the tissue 14 of the iiller mat against said face. The wrap sheet is wider than the ller mat to define longitudinal edge margins 16 on said sheet projecting beyond said mat and is longer than said filler mat to define endk sections 17 projecting beyond the filler mat. The end sections 17 of the wrap sheet are slightly wider than the filler mat by the extent of thin margins 18 along the sides of said end sections.

' The longitudinal edge margins 16 and 18' of the 'wrap sheet on its inner face have a layer of adhesive which is strong Venough to hold the seams together, while the swab is undergoing the usual period of use but which is weak enough to permit rupture of the swab easily along the seams when the swab is wet and ready for disposal. More specifically, this adhesive may be a thermosetting material, such as urea-formaldehyde or polyvinyl acetate, to facilitate manufacture of the swab.

Figures 1 and 2 show the composite pad 10 with its component parts assembled and ready to be folded and seamed to make the bag swab. For that purpose, the projecting end sections 17 of the wrap sheet 12 are folded inwardly over the ends of the filler mat 11 to retain said mat in proper position on said wrap sheet and to define holder engageable flaps, as will be more fully described. The margins 18 of these flaps 17 are secured to the adhesively coated margins 16 of the main body of the wrap sheet through the adhesive, so that the sides of said aps are closed as` shown in Fig. 3.- In this preliminary folded position shown in Fig. 3, due to the presence of the recesses 15 in the wrap sheet, the portion 20 of the adhesively coated margin 16 of the wrap sheet along the side of each flap 17 will project beyond said flap side and will serve the purpose to be made apparent.

The pad shown in Fig. 3 is then folded upon itself along its transverse center line, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to bring` the aps 17 together in face to face contact. By application of heat and pressure, the facing juxtaposed overlapping margins 16, including the portions 20 thereof, are secured together by the thermoplastic adhesive on these margins to form plain lap seams 22 along the sides of the pad, thus forming a pouch or bag swab 25 with the wrap sheet 12 on the outside to define a scrub sheet and with the ller mat 11 on the inside to form a lining or backing for the scrub sheet, it being noted that said filler mat is entirely enclosed and protected against separation from the wrap sheet as well as against disintegration. Because of the presence of the adhesively coated portions/20 of the sheet margins 16 which project beyond the sides of the flaps 17, the folded pad will be closed entirely along its sides. The filler mat 11 in the resultant swab 25 will be retained against separation from the wrap sheet 12 and against disintegration during use by the seams 22 along its sides and by the flaps 17 folded over the ends of said mat. These flaps 17 serve not only to protect the filler mat 11 as indicated but in addition are intended to be latched to a projection or projections on the holder head, when the swab 25 is slipped over said head.

Figures 6 to 14 show a type of holder 30 which is ad'- vantageously employed in connection with the pouch or bag swab 25. This holder 30 has a head constructed of. parts relatively movable to burst and break apart the swab 25 latched thereto, so that the swab can be removed from said head and opened up to facilitate the separation of the scrub sheet and filler material and allow them to be ushed away more readily.

The holder 30 is about 15 inches long and is desirably made of a material which can be easily cleaned and kept sanitary. For that reason, it is desirable to make the holder 30 of suitable moldable plastic material, such as polystyrene.

In the specific embodiment shown, the holder 30 is in the general form of a spoon or spatula and comprises a head 31 adapted to be hooded or covered by the swab 25 and a handle or shank 32 therefor terminating in a grip portion 33. The head 31 is offset from the shank 32 and is generally in the form of a lyre or anchor having a pair of hooks, spurs or flukes 34 adapted to catch on to the flaps 17 of the bag swab 25 when the latter is slipped over the head. The sides 35 of the head 31 at its forward end extend up to and along the flukes 34 and are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the holder to taper said end foreasy entry of the head 31 into the pocket of the swab 25.

To assure more positive catch engagement between.

the ilukes 34 and the flaps 17, the upper faces of the linkes are raised to form triangular beveled flanges 39 thereon.

The holder 30 is designed to rupture the swab after use and towards that end, the holder is split longitudinally along its full length to form two opposed sections 36 and 37 jointed together at its head 31 for relative movement. In the specific form shown, these two sections 36 and 37 are pivoted together at the toe 38 of the head 31.

The handle parts of the holder sections 36 and 37 are -semicircularly channeled and are thus tubular when these sections are closed together, and the head parts 40 and 41 of the holder sections respectively are provided with raised rim edges 42 and 43 to dish out said head parts and to cause them to define conjointly a hollow head construction in closed position.

The head part 40 of the lower holder section 36 has desirably 'an imperforate base, and the upper head'part 41 of the upper holder section 37 has a slot 46 extending therealong to the toe and serving tov dra-inA the interior` 'of` the hollow head 31 when closed and to define spaced arms 47 forming part of the hinge connection between the two head parts 40 and 41. This hinge connection comprises a knuckle 50 on the lower head part 40 flanked by the arms 47 on the upper part 41 and secured thereto by hinge pins 51 on said arms journalled in said knuckle. The arms 47 are resilient enough to allow the hinge pins to be snapped into place.

To hold the two sections 36 and 37 releasably together, the upper section 37 has a latch pin 53 depending from a bracket ange'54 at its outer grip end, and the lower section 36 has a latch ange 55 with a catch opening 56 therein for the latch pin. This catch opening 56 has a straight inner pin camming edge 57, and the latch pin 53 has its inner edge bevelled to form a long shallow notch 60 in said pin. The latch pin 53 is so located with respect to the catch opening 56 that the pin does not pass freely through said opening but must be forced therethrough, and its lower end is rounded to permit said pin to be forced into the catch opening and to be cammed by the inner edge 57 of said catch opening sufficiently to allow said pin to pass into said opening. The pin 53 has enough resiliency to permit it to be forced in the catch opening 56. By pressing the two holder sections 36 and 37 together near the handle grip portion 33, the pin S3 will enter the catch opening 56 until the edge 57 of the catch opening 56 extends into the notch 60 in the pin 53. In this position, shown in Figs. 7 and 11, the two holder sections 36 and 37 will be latched together in closed position. To release the latch connection, the pin 53 is forced out of the opening S6, as for example by thumb pressure.

The latch flange 55 at the end of the lower holder section 36 extends beyond the latch opening 56 therein and the extension has a hole 62 for hanging the holder when not in use.

To hold the two holder sections 36 and 37 from relative sideways displacement, the shank parts of the handle holder sections are provided with opposed semi-circular discs 65 and 66 rigidly secured therein, one of said discs having a tongue 67 and the other disc having a recess 68 for receiving said tongue.

In preparing the cleaning device for use, a bag swab 25 is slipped over the head 31 of holder 30, while the sections 36 and 37 of said holder are latched together in closed position, as shown in Fig. 12. When the swab is in place, the ends 70 of the internal flaps 17 extend beyond the ends of the iiukes 34. Since they converge towards the side seams 22 of the bag swab 25, these flap ends 7l) near said seams cross the ukes 34 on the holder head 31 and catch on to said dukes. The swab 25 is thereby latched and locked to the holder head and cannot be removed therefrom, without rupturing the swab. The widening of the flukes 34 by the provision 0f the bevelled anges 39 thereon, assures a more positive lock between these iiukes and the aps 17.

The holder 30 and the swab 25 attached thereto form a cleaning device which can be conveniently handled. For example, in cleaning a toilet bowl, the swab 2S is dipped into the water in said bowl to render the detergents on the wrap sheet 12 active and to dissolve the bluing thereon. The cleaning head can then be manipulated by passing the swab 25 over the surfaces to be cleaned. The wrap sheet 12 presents an effective rubbing or scrubbing surface and the filler mat 11 supplies the necessary body to the swab and also permits it to be deformed to conform with the irregularities in the surfaces being cleaned. The wrap sheet 12 is impervious to the passage of filler material therethrough even when said sheet and said ller are wet, so that disintegration of the filler mat 11 can not take place during normal period of use.

The holder head 31 constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element and affords the necessary backing and support for the thin-walled swab 25, so that substantial pressure can be supplied to the swab through the holder, while the swab retains its general form. The Iiller mat 11 tends to disintegrate upon being wet but is retained against disintegration by the protective enveloping action of the wrap sheet 12.

After the cleaning operation has been completed, the latch pin S3 is released at the grip end of the two handle sections 36 and 37 by thumb manipulation as previously described, and the two sections are then pulled apart to cause them to open up about the hinge connection at the toe 38 into some such position as shown in Fig. 14. This causes the side seams 22 of the swab to be broken and the swab to be ruptured. In thi-s ruptured condition, the swab will easily fall of the head by itself without direct hand contact with the swab. The ruptured swab will drop into the bowl, and since it is opened up, the filler mat 11 will be exposed immediately to the disintegrating action of the water in the bowl, separating from the wrap sheet 12 and enabling the components of the swab to be easily washed away by flushing and without danger of clogging the drain.

Also, as far as certain aspects of the invention are concerned, instead of having a holder with its head in the form of a lyre or anchor and its hooks 34 for engaging the flaps 17 of the swab in the form of ilukes, the head may have a flap engaging catch on one or each of its faces in the form of a wedge tapering forwardly towards the toe of the head and merging into the surface of the head at its forward end for easy entry into the pocket of the swab.

In short, the invention in its broader aspects contemplates any form of holder having a head which is insertable into the swab and which can be expanded to rupture the swab after use.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to specific embodiments of swab and holder, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims, which x the metes and bounds of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable cleaning swab for use in connection with a holder, comprising a thin flexible scrub sheet -of paper immune to water disintegration during normal period of use of the swab and being suiciently wear-resistant and tear-resistant when wet to maintain its integrity during such period, said sheet being doubly folded across its width to form two opposed overlapping panels, the marginal edge portions of the two panels being ladhesively secured together to form a flat open-top easily rupturable bag adapted -to receive and enclose the head of a holder, -one end of the scrub sheet being turned inwardly between the overlapping bag panels to form an internal flap serving as a catch by which the swab is latched to the head of the holder automatically when the swab is slipped over the head kof lthe holder.

2. A disposable cleaning swab flushable after use in a Itoilet bowl comprising a th-in flexible scrub sheet folded across its width and sealed along its marginal edge portions to form a Hat open-top bag to receive a shaping and reenforcing head of a holder, both ends of the scrub sheet being turned inwardly between the overlapping fold sections l'to form a pair of oppositely disposed aps `adapted to be latched to the holder head when the swab is in place thereon.

3. A flat composite laminated pad adapted to be folded las a unit into a at rect-angular disposable swab ushable in a toilet bowl, said pad comprising a thin flexible flat generally rectangular `oblong wrap sheet cornposed of paper and possessing sulicient wet strength to maintain its integrity during the normal period of use, and a flat generally rectangular oblong filler mat cornposed of fluff material readily disintegrable in water, such as m-acerated cellulose lor wood pulp, said mat being narrower and shorter than the wrap sheet and being superimposed on the inside thereof lengthwise along the wrap sheet with the longitudinal side edge portions of the aswell 7 wrap sheet projecting beyond the longitudinal sides respectively of the ller rnat and the end portions of the wrap sheet projecting beyond the ends of the ller mat, said projecting wrap sheet end portions being adapted to bel folded back over the filler mat to confine it at its opposite ends before the pad is converted into swab form, the insides of the projecting side edge portions of the wrap sheet being faced with adhesive, said pad being adapted to be folded across its width with 'the wrap sheet on the outside and the iiller mat on the inside to bring the ad-hesively faced side edge portions of the wrap sheet together for sealing and to form thereby an open-top bag,

4. A cleaning device comprising, in combination, a handle having a head which constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element, a disposable swab in the form of a thin walled cover for the head and which constitutes the outside `or scrubbing surfaceV of the cleaning element, said cover swab, because of its sma'll mass and composition, being readily fiushable in a toilet bowl, interlocking means formed partly on the head and partly on the cover swab for holding the latter in place upon the head, said interlocking means requiring rupture -of the swab to permit its removal from the head and to faciiltate its ushability, and means forming part of the cleaning device for rupturing the cover swab `after use.

5. A cleaning device comprising, in combination, a handle having a head which constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element, a disposable swab in the form of a thin walled cover for the head and which constitutes the loutside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said cover swab, because of its small mass and composition, being readily ilushable in a toilet bowl, and interlocking means formed partly on the head and partly on the cover swab for holding the latter in place upon the head, said interlocking means requiring rupturel of the swab to permit its removal from the head and to facilitate its flushability, and said holder head being expansible from its normal position lto rupture the cover swab after use.

6. A cleaning device handie having a head which constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element and which is inscrtable into a swab having a cavity to receive the head, said swab constituting the outside or scrubbing surface yof the cleaning element, said head and handle being split along their length into two sections and pivoted together at the toe of t-he head for lateral separation from their normal cover swab receiving position to expand and rupture the cover swab after use, said head having catch means independent of any clamping action between said sections and operative when said sections are together in normal cover swab receiving position for engaging a part of the swab in the cavity and thereby for positively locking the cover swab in place on said head against easy `removal except by rupturing.

7. A cleaning device handle having a head which constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element and which is insertable into a swab in the form of a thin walled cover for ythe head, said swab constituting the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said head having means for positively locking the cover swab in place thereon against easy removal except by rupturing, and said head and handle being split along their length into two sections pivotally connected together at the toe of the head for lateral separation from their normal cover swab receiving and locking position tov expand and rup ture the cover swab after use, said two pivoted sections being made of hollow form and made of molded plastic material.

8. A cleaning device handle having a head which constitutes the bulk of 1the cleaning element and which is insertable into a swab in the form of a thin walled cover for the head, said swab constituting the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said head and handle being split along their length intotwo sections and pivoted together at the toe of the head-for lateral separation from their normal cover swab receiving positionto expandA and rupture'the cover swab after use, said head being formed at least on one of its sections with a catch for latch engagement with the interior of the cover swab to positively lock the cover swab in place on the head against easy removal except by rupturing.

9. A cleaning device handle having a head which constitu-tes the bulk `of the cleaning element and which is insertable into a swab in the form of a thin walled cover for the head, said swab constituting the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said head being of lyre or anchor form and presenting lukcs for latch engagement with the interior of the swab for positively locking the cover swab in place on the head against easy removal except by rupturing, said head and handle being split along their length into two sections pivoted together at the toe of the head for lateral separation from their normal cover swab receiving land locking position to expand and rupture the cover swab after use.

10. A cleaning device handle having a he-ad which constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element and which is insertable into a swab having a cavity to receive the head, so that the swab is entirely on the outside of the head and constitutes the scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said head having a catch projecting from the outside thereof and adapted to interlock with the inside of the swab when over said head to prevent easy removal of the swab from the head except by rupture of the swab, said head having relatively movable parts for rupturing the swab while over the head to permit its removal from the head after use and to facilitate the fiushability of the swab in a ytoilet bowl, and said catch being operative to interlock said head and said swab independently of any clamping action between said parts.

ll. A disposable cleaning swab adapted to be attached to a holder and made of material easily ushable in a toilet bowl after use, said swab having an outside exib'le paper sheet serving as a scrub sheet, said swab being substantially hat and being of predetermined size and shape before attachment to the holder, said swab having a cavity with an opening in the swab leading thereinto and free from closure means to permit the swab to be slipped in said form over the head of the holder to enclose said head, said paper sheet extending across substantially the full areas of the swab on opposite substantially flat faces thereof and being fully exposed on the entire areas of said faces for scrubbing action, said paper sheet being immune to water disintegration during a normal period of use lofy the swab and being sufficiently wear-resistant and tear-resistant when wet and during scrubbing action to maintain its integrity during such period, said cavity being large enough to hold therein a holder head of such size as to form with said swab a cleaning element in which the head constitutes the bulk of the cleaning element, said swab comprising parts held together in said form by imperrnanent means to permit easy separation of the swab'from the head of the holder after use and to facili-tate ushability of the swab after separation, said swab having means for securing the swab -onto the head of the holder, said securing means requiring mechanical rupture after use to permit its easy separation from the head'of the holder.

l2. A disposable cleaning swab as described in claim l1, wherein the swab has a lining of soft conformable water-disintegrable material on the inner side of the scrub sheet toseparate the scrub sheet from the holder when the swab is in place thereon.

13. A cleaning Vdevice comprising in combination, a holder having a substantially flat head which is of size `and shape ito constitute the bulkv of the cleaning element when the device is assembled, and a swab in the form `of a ilat thin walled bag of predetermined size and shape before `attachment to lthe holder, said swab being flushable after use in a toilet bowl said swab being open at the top and being free of closure means at the top to per* mit `the bag to be slipped as; a cover over the holder head to form the cleaning element therewith, said swab having at least one llat exible wall adapted to conform with the contour of one of the substantially lat sides of the holder hea-d when the swab is slipped over the holder head and when said swab wall is pressed against a surface to cleaned, said swab wall comprising an outer scrub sheet of paper immune to water disintegration during the norm-al period of use of the swab `and sufficiently wear-resistant when wet to maintain its integrity during use and an inner lining of soft conformable water-disintegrable material to separate the scrub sheet from the holder head when the swab is placed thereon.

14. A handle vfor a cleaning element, said handle comprising -a head on its front end having a pair of pivotally connected sections movable relatively into closed or open position, said head in closed position of said sections being adapted to be inserted into a swab having a cavity-to receive the head to form with said swab a cleaning element in which the head constitutes -a substantial portion of the bulk of the cleaning element and the outside of said swab serves as the scrubbing surface of t-he cleaning element, said head having a projection on its outside presenting a shoulder facing in general the -rear end of the handle to engage a shoulder on the inside of the swab on said head facing generally the front end of the handle and to hold thereby the swab against easy removal from the head, independently of any clamping action between said head sections, said sections when moved relatively into -open position expanding and rupturling -the swab to permit its easy removal from .the head after use.

15. A cleaning device comprising in combination, a handle having a head made up of two relatively movable parts adapted Ito be moved into closed or expanded position, a disposable swab having a cavity to receive the head in closed position to form the cleaning element therewith and consti-tuing the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said swab being constructed of material readily rupturable and readily ushable in a toilet bowl, and catch means on said head 'adapted to engage la part of said swab in the cavity thereof for holding the swab on the head in closed position of said parts against easy removal while dry, independently of any clamping action between said head parts, said head parts when moved into expanded position, serving to rupture the swab after use to facilitate its removal from the head and to facilitate its liushability.

16. A cleaning device comprising in combination, a handle having a head and made of two pivotally connected mating sections extending along substantially its full length, whereby said head is made up of two relatively movable parts adapted to be moved into closed or expanded position, a disposable swab having a cavity to receive the head in closed position to form the cleaning element therewith and constituting the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said swab being constructed of material readily rupturable and readily ushable in a toilet bowl, and means on said head for holding the swab on the head in closed position of said parts against easy removal, independently of any clamping action between said head parts, said head parts when moved into expanded position, serving to rupture the swab after use to facilitate its removal from the head and to facilitate its ushability.

17. A cleaning device comprising in combination, a handle having a head made up of two mating sections pivotally connected together near the toe of the head and adapted to be moved into closed or expanded position, a disposable swab having a cavity to receive the head in closed position to form the cleaning element therewith and constituting the outside or scrubbing surface of the cleaning element, said swab being constructed of material readily rupturable and readily flushable in a toilet bowl, and means on said head for holding the swab on the head in closed position of said parts against easy removal, independently of any clamping action between said head parts, said head parts when moved into expanded position, serving to rupture the swab after use to facilitate its removal from the head and to facilitate its ushability.

18. A disposable cleaning swab for use in connection with a holder, comprising a thin flexible scrub sheet of paper immune to water disintegration during a normal period of use of the swab and being sufficiently wearresistant and tear-resistant when wet to maintain its integrity during such period, said sheet being doubly folded to form two opposed overlapping panels having marginal edge portions secured together to form a flat open-top easily rupturable swab adapted to receive and enclose the head of the holder, said scrub sheet having a portion turned inwardly between the overlapping panels to form an internal ilap serving as a catch by which the swab is latched to the head of the holder automatically when the swab is applied over the head of the holder.

19. A flat composite laminated pad adapted to be folded as a unit into a flat rectangular disposable swab flushable in a toilet bowl, said pad comprising a thin exible flat generally rectangular oblong wrap sheet composed of paper and possessing sutlcient wet strength to maintain its integrity during the normal period of use, and a at generally rectangular oblong ller mat composed of ui material readily disintegrable in water, such as macerated cellulose or wood pulp, said mat being narrower and shorter than the wrap sheet and being superimposed on the inside thereof lengthwise along the wrap sheet with the longitudinal side edge portions of the wrap sheet projecting beyond the longitudinal sides respectively of the filler mat and the end portions of the wrap sheet projecting beyond the ends of the filler mat, said projecting wrap sheet end portions being adapted to be folded back over the ller mat to confine it at its opposite ends before the pad is converted into swab form, said pad being adapted to be' folded across its width with the wrap sheet on the outside and the filler mat on the inside t0 bring edge portions of the wrap sheet in contiguous relation to enable such edge portions to be secured together and to form thereby an open-top swab with a cavity to receive the head of a holder.

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